Lazy Meatball Lasagna

Lazy Meatball Lasagna

From: @itsmesaramartinez, “Dumb Dinners” Ep. 23

Serves roughly 6 · Prep 10 min · Bake ~60 min · Rest 10 min

Ingredients

• 1 jar marinara sauce (24–25 oz)
• 1¼ cups water
• 8–10 oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken into pieces
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta
• 2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella (divided)
• 20–25 frozen fully cooked meatballs (½ oz each)
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Pinch of salt

Equipment:

9x13 baking dish aluminum foil

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. In the 9x13 dish itself, whisk together the marinara, water, ricotta, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. No separate bowl needed.
3. Add the broken noodles, frozen meatballs, spinach, and 1 cup of the mozzarella.
4. Stir it all together, then press the noodles down so they’re fully submerged in the sauce — this is what lets them cook through.
5. Scatter the remaining 1 cup mozzarella over the top and cover the dish tightly with foil.
6. Bake covered for 45–50 minutes.
7. Remove the foil and bake another 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
8. Let it rest 10 minutes before scooping so it sets up instead of running.

Tips worth knowing

• The noodles must stay under the liquid; any edges poking out will bake up hard and dry.
• Squeeze excess water out of the spinach if it’s been thawed, otherwise add it straight from frozen as written.
• Skip the resting step at your own risk — it’ll be soupy on the plate.